


I am.

by ilostmyothersock



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Drinking, Insecurity, Nausea, Self-Esteem Issues, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:13:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25213726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilostmyothersock/pseuds/ilostmyothersock
Summary: Buck gets drunk (and a little sad). Maddie and Chimney get him to bed.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Howie "Chimney" Han, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Maddie Buckley
Comments: 5
Kudos: 111





	I am.

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Drinking, nausea/vomiting, self-esteem issues/self-hatred/insecurity.

Chimney was sitting on the couch, staring at the quickly-cooling takeout containers on the counter. He was trying not to worry, but Maddie usually texted him when she was going to be late, and he knew she had gotten off of work more than an hour ago. When his phone rang he scrambled to answer it.

“Maddie?”

“Hey, Chim. Are you busy?” She sounded exasperated, but not anxious or upset, so he took a deep breath as he forced himself to calm down.

“No? Where are you? I thought you said you were off at 7?”

“Yeah I uh... got a call from a bar...”

“What?”

“Evan is... drunk.”

“What the fuck? Where are you?”

“...In the parking lot of his apartment. We’re having a bit of trouble.”

“I’ll be there in ten.”

When Chimney got out of his car Maddie was crouched in front of the passenger seat of her car, pleading with Buck in a soft voice.

“Come on, Evan, your apartment is right there! We’re so close.”

“Tiiiired.”

“Yeah, I know love. But you can’t sleep here, it won’t be comfy. Think of your nice, comfy bed.”

“S’far.”

Maddie sighed, straightening when she saw Chimney walking up to them.

“He doesn’t want to get up, and I can’t carry him.”

Chimney frowned, “Well, I don’t think I can either, to be honest, but maybe between the two of us...”

Buck frowned at her curiously. “Used to carry me.”

“Yup.”

“Can’t anymore.”

“Nope.”

Buck suddenly looked very concerned. “Did y’get small, Maddie?”

Maddie rolled her eyes. “No, Evan. I did not get small. You got big.”

Buck giggled. “m’big.”

Maddie patted his hand sympathetically. “Yeah, babe. You are.”

“Can’t carry me ‘nymore.” He seemed almost sad.

Maddie shook her head, running a hand through his hair. “Nope.”

“Maddie...”

“Yeah Buck?” She frowned when she realized his eyes had a teary gleam to them.

“...mmh... Never mind. Forgot.”

“Okay... now, come on.” Between the two of them, Maddie and Chimney managed to haul Buck to his feet, each slinging an arm over their shoulders. It seemed that the change in elevation was too much for Buck’s stomach, however, since as soon as he was upright he froze for a second, and then doubled over to throw up. Maddie sighed, rubbing his back gently. “Think you’re done for now? Okay, good. Step around it, that’s it.”

They managed to haul Buck up to his apartment and to his couch. They tried to set him down gently, but once Buck realized where he was he crumpled onto it heavily.

Chimney sighed at the sight of Buck listing sideways, uncoordinated hands pulling at the couch throw. “I’ll get water...and a trash can.” Maddie smiled at him gratefully before turning back to her brother, wedging herself beside him to prop him upright.

“Have some water, then bed okay?”

Buck didn’t say anything, instead slumping down so that his head was in her lap. Maddie let out a huff of laughter before going to play with his hair, pulling gently at curls that had freed themselves from the hold of his gel.

“Maddie?” His voice was muffled, his face pressed against her thigh.

“Yeah?”

“Why’m I never good enough?”

Maddie’s heart sank. She’d been hoping this wasn’t going to be a sad-drunk sort of night.

“You are, Evan. I promise.”

“No, no’m not. M’dumb and selfish and exhausting and... and dumb.”

She leaned over to press a kiss into Buck’s hair.

“Aww, Ev. You have the biggest heart, okay? Anyone who doesn’t see that is probably just too self-centered themselves to realize just how good you are.”

“S’not true. M’full of it. So much, all th’time. M’exhausting.”

“Evan... no... You’re not _too much_. And I don’t know why you think you’re exhausting, I love you, okay? I don’t know who put these things in your head but they’re an asshole.”

“Eddie isn’t a ... a...he is... s’a good guy, Maddie. M’best friend.”

Maddie shook her head, trying to tamp down her rising anger. Evan didn’t need it. “Evan, love... He... he may be a good guy, but he’s wrong if he says you’re too much. And you don’t have a selfish bone in your body.”

Buck shook his head against her leg, and she could feel tears soaking through the fabric of her pants. She looked up to see that Chimney was busying himself in the kitchen, trying to give them as much space as he could in the open-plan apartment. She watched him flip a grilled cheese sandwich before turning back to her brother.

“Finally, Ev, we both know you’re not dumb. Who was trivia team captain in high school? Who got a full ride to college? Who graduated with distinction? And even if you hadn’t done all those things, you’d still be the smartest cookie I know, okay?”

Chimney rounded the coffee table to sit beside them on the couch, nudging Buck gently with the plate. “I know you love grilled cheese when you’re drunk, Buckaroo. Come on. Now, how did I not know that you’re a big ol’ nerd?” Buck let out a sob and Maddie’s head whipped up to glare at Chimney. Chimney winced.

“He’s kidding, Ev.”

Chimney nodded emphatically. “I am, Buck. I’m sorry. I just... I didn’t know those things about you, that’s incredible.” Buck shrugged from his slumped-over position. “It _is_. Although maybe I should have guessed, you do have a lot of weird knowledge stored away.”

Buck sniffled. “I... I like t’read.”

Maddie smiled softly, running her thumb in soothing circles on Buck’s shoulder. “You do.”

Chimney ruffled Buck’s hair before putting a hand under his elbow, gently easing him to sit up. “Food, Buck. Come on. Did you have dinner?”

Buck opened his mouth but Chimney cut him off with a raised eyebrow. “And whiskey doesn’t count.” Buck rolled his eyes but accepted the plate, nibbling tentatively at the sandwich. He managed half of it before he was pushing the plate back towards Chimney, face pale as he shook his head.

“Okay, that’s okay. More water?” Chimney took the plate and held out the glass. Buck shook his head again before leaning to lie back down. “Okay.” Chimney put the water back on the coffee table. “The water will be right here, and the trashcan is right by your face, okay?” Buck gave a minuscule nod, his eyes shut tightly.

Maddie’s gaze followed Chimney as he got up and put the plate back in the kitchen, leaving the sandwich just in case Buck got up in the middle of the night and decided he was hungry. When he came back to the living room Maddie nodded her head in her sleeping brother’s direction.

“I’m gonna stay here. I don’t like the idea of him passing out alone, especially if he’s throwing up.”

Chimney nodded. “Do you want me to stay? Or do you want me to go home and grab you some stuff for the night?”

Maddie shook her head. “Nah, I’ll steal one of his shirts to sleep in... although I think I’ll stay here with him a while first....” she gave him a wry grin, “but if you felt like it... you could come back in the morning with some fresh clothes and some breakfast... something greasy.”

Chimney rolled his eyes but pressed a kiss to her hair. “See you tomorrow.”

She smiled back at him. “See you.”

“Bye Buck!” Buck mumbled something incomprehensible in return.


End file.
